Quarantine has really changed things for all of us. What happens when Elemental Music Directors, coaches, and staff are stuck at home - no gigs, no rehearsals, no in-person teaching? We’ve all found ways to stay busy - and some of those ways might surprise you!
Emily Call (Prelude Director, Elemental Strings, Bergmann Project)
Like many others, Emily is now teaching her violin students online. She misses performing, but is finding ways to try and fill that hole: performing in an online opera with 250+ participants from around the world, learning duos at home with her husband, and starting some remote recording projects with her string quartet.
Morgan Gerstmar (Elemental Strings, Bergmann Project)
Morgan updated her private teaching studio to go fully virtual, with a microphone, headphones, and more! When she’s not teaching, she’s playing Animal Crossing (pictured here in her music room!), making cookies, and even doing drive-by performances of Happy Birthday from her moon roof for private students!
Christie Glaser (Elemental Band, Bergmann Project)
Christie writes: “I have been experimenting with different positions to play my flute and piccolo, teaching a lot of Zoom lessons, going on runs, working on flexibility training, cuddling my cat as well as teaching him some fun tricks! I've also been making lots of matcha cookies and brewing kombucha!
Jessi Spike Gravelle (Elemental Choir Director)
Jessi has been making the most out of her time at home. In addition to holding 2–3 SMMUSD Zoom classes a day as a district music teacher, teaching private lessons by Facetime and Skype, and holding EC Zooms every week, she’s also growing a small kitchen herb garden, helping her son Mason practice his bass, cello, and piano, helping her son Miles make college decisions (congrats, Class of 2020!) and learning to love making her own chai lattes. Oh - and wearing slippers all day! ;)
Mak Grgić (Elemental Guitar Director)
Mak has been keeping busy by teaching private lessons, creating brief technique videos on social media, and performing online recitals and collaborations! Follow him on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with him!
Sam Lorenzini (Elemental Strings)
In addition to participating in some musical projects with Elemental Music coaches, Sam also recorded some of his own arrangements of movie tunes to share with our students. Click here to hear Sam’s arrangement and performance of “The Cleaner” by Randy Newman, from Toy Story 2 - we love it!
Yuri Inoo Miyoshi (Elemental Band)
Yuri writes: “Since quarantine I started posting videos on my YouTube channel. Since we moved to online lessons, I was making some quick demo videos for my students, and thought why not share with others who might be interested, or who may be lost at home without knowing what to do? I feel like my advanced students know how to search for videos with good playing, but my beginning to intermediate students may not know what to look for. So the videos I am making are meant for ‘play along’ while practicing some etudes. I hope to keep posting a few videos every couple of days. Other than that, I’ve been spending lots of time with my family and cooking! I have been really impressed with my young students with how they are adapting to this new routine. And seeing their faces on zoom makes my day better.”
Josephine Moerschel (Executive & Artistic Director, Elemental Strings Director)
Dr. Jo has new captive students at home, starting to learn a little violin and piano. But these aren't just music students; her little girls are also doing school work, including learning Mandarin. So it's safe to say, life hasn't quieted down much, but she is finding a lot more time to cook these days!
Cicely Nelson (Elemental Strings)
Our coaches have many talents! In addition to being an incredible string player and music educator, Cicely is a certified Pilates instructor and has been live-streaming classes from her home studio each week! Wanna join? More info here! Oh, and catch her performing with Elemental Music coaches in this remote collaboration here!
Diana Parmeter (Prelude Program)
Diana writes: “Teaching online is not ideal, but last week had its moments. I taught a student on my birthday, so she held up the card at the start of our online lesson. Her mom emailed me pictures afterwards!”
Susan Rishik (Bergmann Project)
Susan has been adapting to teaching violin lessons online. One of the biggest changes? Her new lesson uniform: business on top, and casual on the bottom!
Karen Safrit (Development Associate)
Our incredible Development Associate (and ES alumni parent) is also a dancer and movement teacher. Karen writes: “Taking teaching out of my studio workspaces has given me a new appreciation for my kitchen. I'm a little tired of cooking, so I've been cooking up ways to dance at home. Here are some of my offerings!” Karen’s daughter Sadie, an Elemental Strings alum, has been joining Karen in zoom ballet class all the way from Copenhagen - anyone’s welcome!
Emily Senchuk (Bergmann Project Director, Elemental Band) & Peter Senchuk (Elemental Band Director, Academy Philharmonic Director)
The Senchuks report that they have been teaching lessons, taking walks, watching movies, and keeping their son Koli entertained and getting through his school work! Peter has been working on his bartender skills and making classic cocktails. Oh, and they’ve been busy making 12 dozen pyrohy!
Aaron Smith (Bergmann Project)
Aaron writes: “For probably the last 20 years I have played Easter services at the First Methodist Church in Santa Monica, and of course that didn't happen. I found the music for the hymn, made a quick organ and brass arrangement in Finale and went into my studio late last night to record the timpani part.
By far the most positive work moments of every day are connecting with my students. Many of them don't have opportunities to talk to anyone other than their families right now, so that interaction with their private teacher is critical. Between my two university jobs, my private studio, and my Bergmann students, I'm seeing over 40 students each week. NOT being in person with them is a giant, gaping hole in my life.”
Meghan Turner (Elemental Band)
Meghan writes: “A silver lining from the quarantine is that all of my cousins are connecting over Zoom on Saturday afternoons. There are 9 of us, plus spouses, plus kids, for a total of 31. We have always been close, but, especially with them all living in Canada, it has been years since we were all in the same 'room'. Our 'Covid Cousin Chat' is the highlight of our weeks.”
Jordan Warmath (Bergmann Project)
Jordan writes: “A housemate of mine and I have been holding weekly Facebook Live sight-reading extravaganzas. We read duets and it’s quite the riot. It’s not perfect, but quite fun, and great practice for both of us. I can’t tell you how nice it is to play with someone else – I think it might literally be saving my musical soul.”
Erin Wells (Academy Philharmonic)
Erin has been playing nightly musicales with her family and boyfriend, posting new “Quarantunes” throughout the week on social media and nominating friends to participate and keep the music going from afar.